What God has Handed to Us
The texts we read today have been those read for Maundy Thursday for generations. They are chosen because we celebrate Jesus’ last supper. That supper was a Passover meal with his disciples before his betrayal and crucifixion. That is why we read the account of the first Passover from Exodus. From Corinthians we read the words Jesus spoke at his last supper calling us to join him in that meal which John recounts for us in a slightly different way than the other Gospel writers. It is in that text that we hear the mandate which gives today its name – to love one another as Jesus has loved us.
In these stories we can find ourselves. All of human emotion is on display here. We see loyalty, sadness, pride, greed, bravado, and self-delusion. The disciples, who had followed Jesus for three years, shared many meals together and had been through thick and thin were challenged by Jesus to see things in a new light. Yet, here on Jesus’ last day before crucifixion they were still the same people they were at the beginning. They were caught up in their own emotions. In fact, they were driven by their emotions. That is why one betrayed him and the others denied him. Even Peter, the leader of the pack, after great bravado fled in fear.
That is the point. We are unable to escape our own desires. Instead we are driven by them. Instead of seeing God in our lives we chase after the luster of the world. Once we have grasped that for which we so greatly desired we learn quickly that it was all a facade. Not learning our lesson we begin the chase all over again. We are in bondage to our emotions. Our hopes and fears, our joys and sadness, all drive us into bondage.
We are just like the disciples. We see Jesus and wish to stay awake. We wish to proclaim God’s truth but are afraid of how others will receive it. We run from the cross afraid to pick it up for the burden it may bring. I could go on. You get the point.
All of those emotions that we hear and see in these stories today are our emotions. We know the disciples and their lives because it is our lives. That is the point. Jesus came to us; into the middle of our lives to set us free from the bondage to sin and death. He did not take away our emotions, he did not remove our fears, joys, hopes, or desires. Instead he freed us so that we can deal with them and even use them to the benefit of the world.
Jesus has freed you so that you can obey his new commandment. Not because you have to but because you are free to do so. Jesus gave up his own freedom and submitted himself to the powers of this world to free you from them and give you new life – a life filled with love so powerful that all you can do is to share it.